What is Dramaturgy?

You have to understand that I am a theatre kid, through and through. Not an actor, though I have acted— I love the behind-the-scenes machinations that make a production work. I’ve mostly done lighting design and electrics, because I have a particular love for those, but then there’s dramaturgy.

Dramaturgs (people who practice dramaturgy) both research and educate about the context of a theatrical work. This can involve both History Class and English Class type stuff, which is absolutely my jam. A dramaturg aids the actors, director, and designers to understand and develop ideas about the script so that they can do the best job possible in bringing the work to the audience.

I am too perpetually out-of-spoons to handle working the more traditional aspects of theatre, but dramaturgy makes it so I can participate in one of my most enduring passions without showing up to every rehearsal or hauling lighting fixtures around for 12 hours at a time.

WHAT IS YOUR POINT BUG

This is all to say that I signed up to be the dramaturg for a local production of Pericles, written partially by Shakespeare himself.

In the works are zines and/or articles about Shakespeare, Pericles, and/or Dramaturgy, so stay tuned!